Coming to Bruges
By car
Bruges is situated near the E40 motorway, and is just an hour's drive from Brussels and 90 minutes from Antwerp. Amsterdam is 253 km away, Eindhoven a mere 178 km. When coming from the Netherlands, you drive to Bruges over Antwerp. If you are coming from the region around Maastricht, we recommend you drive via Liège and Brussels.
By train
National trains
There are several direct trains to Bruges from the provincial capitals (Antwerp, Ghent, Hasselt and Leuven) and Brussels. Take a look at the website of the Belgian national railways (NMBS/SNCB).
International trains
The Brussels-South railway station is the Belgian hub for all international train traffic. Brussels-South is served several times a day by high-speed trains from Paris (Thalys/Izy and TGV), Lille (Eurostar and TGV), London (Eurostar), Amsterdam (Thalys) and Cologne (Thalys and ICE). There are three trains every hour from Brussel-Zuid to Bruges on weekdays and two every hour on the weekend. They stop in Bruges, Ostend or Knokke/Blankenberge. The journey from Brussels-South to Bruges takes about an hour.
If you are travelling from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, you can also switch trains at Antwerp Central Station. A direct train departs from Antwerp Central to Ostend every hour, and also stops in Bruges. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes.
If you are coming from Maastricht, we recommend taking the train to Liège. The journey from Liège to Bruges takes approximately two hours.
By plane
Via Brussels Airport
Every day, Belgium's national airport welcomes flights from over 200 destinations in 66 countries.
You can easily get to Bruges by train from Brussels Airport. There is a direct train to Bruges every hour (only on weekdays). You can also take the Brussels Airport Express (four trains every hour) to Brussels-North, Central or South. Two trains depart for Bruges every hour from these stations. They are bound for Ostend or Knokke/Blankenberge. Check the website of the Belgian national railways (NMBS/SNCB) for information about prices and timetables.
The taxi companies in Bruges can take you to and from Brussels Airport, subject to prior reservation, at the standard price of € 200. These prices may be adapted during the year. The contact details of taxi companies are listed here.
Via Brussels South Charleroi Airport
The popular regional airport welcomes several low-cost flights a day from other European cities and regions.
Flibco.com operates a direct shuttle from and to the station of Bruges, offering 9 (return) journeys every day. The shuttle is more comfortable, cheaper and also often faster than the other travel options (train, combining train and bus). Online reservations are cheaper. If you pay on the bus or in the airport, you will be charged a supplement.
The taxi companies in Bruges can take you to and from Brussels South Charleroi Airport, subject to prior reservation, at the standard price of € 250. These prices may be adapted during the year. The contact details of Bruges taxi companies are listed here.
Via Ostend-Bruges Airport
Ostend-Bruges Airport is developing at a fast pace and is systematically increasing the destinations it serves. The bus journey to the station of Ostend takes just 15 minutes. From here, you can take three trains every hour to Bruges, from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. The trains run to Eupen, Welkenraedt, Brussels Airport, Antwerp-Central or Kortrijk. The journey to Bruges takes approximately 15 minutes. Check the website of the Belgian national railways (NMBS/SNCB) for information about prices and timetables.
The taxi companies in Bruges and Ostend can take you to and from Brussels Airport, subject to prior reservation, at the standard price of € 70. These prices may be adapted during the year. The contact details of Bruges taxi companies are listed here.